Arion the Walker
Background Arion la Birare (Arion the Walker) was a wood elf who awoke on the Continent after the Great Sleep, and is the twin sister of King Koroth Na. She was Queen of Haven, servant of the Tree Spirits, Southbridge Gardener, Haven Stablemaster, Kobold Bluepaw, and served as both Trademaster and Forest Warden for Liba Riveni. Though not well known for it until her time spent in Liba Riveni, she was a skilled smith who specialized in the forging of weapons, and served for a time as Mira Steelsinger's apprentice. An accomplished Spellsinger, Arion's magical talents notably lay in that of conversing and interacting directly with spirits and other-wordly beings. One of her most notable magical accomplishments was that of helping heal the World Spine after Tarak nearly succeeded in destroying it. Having canonically died and been subsequently resurrected several times, she felt she was forever doomed to be called back in service to the whims of fate because of the Blood Oath she'd made to Haven's Tree Spirits, which subsequently made her Queen. Because of this and a series of uncannily timed tragedies, Arion came to believe that she was cursed. History Many history. Deaths Arion's deaths are unique in that she lived through multiple. Her first death came during the Battle of Sorrowforth, in which undead hoards scoured the town. She was brought by the kobold Pipskip and one other to the Blood Sap tree, where they let her body soak in the mystical healing sap for three days, sacrificing powerful enchanted items. The Tree Spirits called her spirit back, and she was resurrected. Being called back came at the price of being forever weakened, and horrible nightmares of her original demise. Her second death came at the hand of Esselfin of the Pulled Hook mercenary company, who tried to ursurp Haven's government and establish their own reign. Her brother King Koroth Na denied her spirit rest in the afterlife, keeping her body from proper burial and clinging to her captive spirit with the help of the Black Queen, a volatile God. She drifted through the void aimlessly, originally held in limbo by the Black Queen. The god's assumed death released her, and upon her second resurrection she awoke in Liba Riveni with many questions and few answers. She later suffered grievous injuries that led to her next death, defending her best friend and would-be lover's body, Hammerer Emär Tilatûthir, after a mishap in Volstrikk's Laboratory. The Hammerer, Arion, and Pepper had gone on a search for the Masked Dwarf, a marked enemy of Rakust and forbidden to enter the fortress grounds. Pepper broke into the lab by flying through the half-opened gate R3P41R guarded, and opened the door for her companions to enter, who rushed in after her. This intrusion set off the security golems of the lab. Emär and Arion were subsequently pummeled to just shy of death. Arion later died after a magic ritual performed by R3P41R failed to return their souls to their bodies to stabilize them for golemetric surgery. In the wide expanse of the emptiness with nothing but a flat floor, Arion was approached by Grub, who offered her a spot in the Kobold afterlife where Grub 'took kobolds to await the time when a new and safer world was ready for them,' where she could continue her service in helping others and fighting for peace. As a Bluepaw, an honorary warren member, she was allowed a place there with them. She accepted, this time voluntarily turning down her chance for a peaceful afterlife and slumber. Skills and Abilities Arion was an avid Artisan and well known as a Spellsinger in both worlds she lived on. Her hometree in Haven was a veritable museum of artifacts and items of great power, collected in the vault beneath her tree and distributed as needed to elves and friends, and later inherited by her twin brother. On awakening in Liba Riveni after her death in Haven, she would come to craft her own weaponry that bordered on the cusp of artifact quality thanks to the careful selection of quality materials, and her own skill. Below are the most important of the items Arion posessed, and of the highest relevance to her character directly. Page of Life -''' One of the five Pages of the Obliterata that were used to end the world Arion was born in. It was entrusted to her protection with the encouragement of the kobold Grub, after the crowning event that made she and her brother ruling monarchs of Haven. She made use of its power twice: first to resurrect a slain comrade, the elf Kalwe. This well-intended act had the unintended effect of making him soul-linked to her and effectively a mind-slave, something that Arion found absolutely horrifying, and was never able to undo. Later on, she used the Page to regrow the entire forest of Haven in a single day, and thus provide cover against the attacks of High-Elf mercenaries currently occupying the city. 'Thras'Crarril -' An iron rapier forged by Valod Winterborn and entrusted to Arion as a gift when she awoke in Haven. Bound with the spirit of a deceased elven Ranger, Thras'Crarril sometimes spoke to Arion during times of great strife to help her make difficult choices, and frequently expressed emotional input in reaction to events. While it saw little use in actual combat, Thras'Crarril proved to be one of her most prized possessions/companions. It was entrusted into the keeping of Andi Goldenbeard upon Arion's death, and was ever-after known as Thras'Crarril the Tormented. It is the sword that was used to cut off Arion's hand. 'Arion's Adamant Appendage -' A masterwork craft of solid adamantine and intricate gold filigree, forged by the smiths Amadeus Barkley and Andi Goldenbeard. It took Arion inducing a Fey Mood on herself to weave the spells that made it functional. The kobold Dig later gifted Arion with a Firestone, which melted itself into the metal palm. Until her trip through the void after death that ended her up in Liba Riveni, the gem allowed her to call forth flames and set both enemies and objects on fire, provided she could touch them with it. 'Condemnation -' Two iterations of this sword have existed; the first was forged likely by Alvina, and was Arion's primary weapon all throughout her life and up until her death in her homeworld. She later reforged the sword in Liba Riveni. It bears the engraving; "You choose your path, and I its destination." 'Wolfhound Armor -' Forged by the elven smith Alvina, it was a powerfully enchanted set of adamantine plate heavily decorated to bear the visage of a terrifying wolf. The helm was later destroyed in battle against goblins, and never remade. '''Artifacts and Abilities in Liba Riveni and the Cavern World: Arion was convinced of being both cursed and being semi-immortal, and not in the fun way. Three previous legitimate deaths were all thwarted in some manner, leaving her body scarred and more broken than before, and still honor-bound to fufill her oaths. Upon learning of the World Spine Arion set to investigating it, and discovered she had the ability to speak directly with the Dirt spirits inhabiting it, among other unusual suggested skills. 'Akrilla -' Meaning 'Vehemance.' An intimidating warhammer forged of unique metal alloys provided by Forgemaster McGuire of Rakust Dosîm, as well as the Dwarfsteel ingot that came of cremating Aikil Byrne. Both Steelsinger Mira and Arion worked on its creation, with the hopes of creating a new spirit weapon like Thras'Crarril to combat the Void Avatar. Upon her death, her will reveals she wished the hammer to be put to use in the fortress as the Hammerer's Hammer. 'Vutheni Veca -' Commissioned by the late Aikil Byrne, Arion spared no expense on creating this towering shield. Embossed with the relief image of a snarling dragon breathing fire, it exists as the only unbreakable shield in the world setting. 'Rebellion -' This elegant longsword bears the engraving "Crownbreaker, Kingmaker," and was the very sword used by Eddard Badwulf to slay Arion in her previous world. While not an item Arion ever owned nor possessed, it came to be wielded by her best friend Emär Tilatûthir, and was a point of personal plot between the two of them. Category:DFRP World 8 Category:BW World 3 Category:Characters Category:BW World 3 Characters Category:DFRP World 8 Characters